Chocolate corn chip candy

The other day as I was browsing through my mom’s collection of cookbooks, I came across one from the Daniel Webster PTA. Daniel Webster’s an elementary school in Oak Cliff, in case you were wondering, and while there was no date on this book I reckon it’s from the late 1950s or early 1960s, since that’s when my mom and her brothers would have attended that school.

Like many community cookbooks, it’s not properly bound; instead it’s a collection of pages held together by rings. As for design, there are no illustrations but the words are all typed in capital letters, which gives you the feeling that every dish is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

Once I got past that typographical quirk, however, I concluded that the recipes in the book are indeed quite wonderful. There are a host of cheese balls, some interesting one-pot dinners, but the thing that immediately caught my eye was a dish called corn chip candy, which called for only two ingredients—corn chips and chocolate chips.

Fortunately, I had all the ingredients on hand (which isn’t tough when there are only two), so I decided to make a batch. The method was simple. You melt the chocolate chips slowly in a double boiler, stir in crushed corn chips until well combined (or until “the yellow is gone,” in the words of the original recipe), and then drop teaspoons of the candy onto a parchment-lined baking sheet to harden. After a half hour or so of chilling in the refrigerator, I pulled out the sheet and picked up one of the brown, jagged lumps. This candy is not the most attractive thing and so I was slightly dubious about how it would taste. To make a long story short, after I ate the first piece the rest were soon gone. They are unbelievably good.

To be fair to my appetite, the original recipe only called for six ounces of chocolate chips (that’s half a bag) along with a handful of corn chips. This combination yielded only 15 pieces of candy, which may sound like a lot but it didn’t seem like too much while I was eating them, as they aren’t very large. Indeed, I have no idea why the recipe would be for such a minute amount (perhaps the woman who submitted it had a small family), so I’ve doubled it for you. Though that still may not be enough if you have a lot of people to feed, so perhaps you’ll want to quadruple the original amounts. I promise it will go fast.

Now, the recipe with only two ingredients is excellent as written. That said, because I like to make things a bit more complicated, I’ve thrown in some spices for added flavor. I also lightly shook sea salt over the finished candy, as I love the combination of salty and sweet. If you prefer, however, you can follow along with the spirit of the original recipe and skip my additions.

As we gear up for the holidays, I’m always looking for ways to make people happy. And if I can do it without a ton of effort, all the better! Melting chocolate and adding corn chips may just be the simplest way to bring joy to the table. Though I do advise preparing this candy with someone else around—otherwise you just may find yourself eating the whole batch, too.

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Chocolate corn chip candy

Servings30pieces

AuthorLisa Fain

Ingredients

12ouncessemi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2teaspoonvanilla extract

1/2teaspoonground cinnamon

Pinchground cayenne

3cupscrushed corn chips (you can use tortilla chips or Fritos)

Sea salt, flaked or coarse, for garnishing

Instructions

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a double boiler heated on medium low, slowly melt the chocolate chips while occasionally stirring with a rubber or silicone spatula, about 5 minutes. Once melted, turn off the heat and with the spatula stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne until well combined. Stir in the crushed chips until they are completely covered with the chocolate. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Using a table spoon, scoop up small lumps of the candy and then place on the parchment paper. With a light hand, gently sprinkle the sea salt over the candy. (If your chips are super salty and after tasting you feel there is already enough, go ahead and skip the salt garnish.)

Refrigerate the sheet for 30 minutes or until the candy hardens. Once ready, keep the candy stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week. (Though I’m pretty sure it won’t last that long.)

As a homesick Oklahoman, now living in Denver — the land of yoga and everything organic. I am soooo making this! Of course the only place I can get Fritos is at 7-11. Seriously, that's the only place I've found them!

Anon–Ha! That's too funny! You might also be interested to know that Whole Foods sells corn chips made by Bearitos that are very similar to Fritos. I've seen them in both Texas and NYC so they might have them in Denver, too.

Holy guilty pleasure! This looks like something I won't be able to resist….thank you for all your ideas. Just finished enjoying biscuits from your cookbook, and plan to make the tortillas this weekend again. So now I've got dessert! Happy holidays!

Oh my gosh! I can't believe this. I have that same cookbook. My Mom saved it. I attended Daniel Webster Elementary School from around 1966 – 1970. What was your Mom's name? I wonder if I went to school with her? This is so crazy. I couldn't believe when I read your post and saw this. I am such a fan of your blog and it's just incredible that I might have gone to school with your Mom.

What a treasure this cookbook looks like!! The recipe sounds amazing. Have not bought Fritos in ages, now I have to!! Love the additions you made. Looking forward to other recipes from this book. Happy Holidays!!

That sounds fantastic. I have a large collection of old church, school and hospital cookbooks and all are from Texas. I love them bc you never know what treasure you will find. Thanks so much for sharing!!

I have been homesick for Texas for 5 years now, and although I would have frowned at this had I been still in Dallas, now I am wanting to give it a go. Sounds similar to a candy called "rose des sables" which is melted chocolate with corn flakes, to look like a desert rose, but this has more…well, Texas punch!

Meanwhile, I'd just melt the choc chips in the microwave (carefully, of course) in a large mixing bowl then add the Fritos. Yummy!

Have fairly recently rediscovered Fritos. They are about the only snack of the "guilty" variety left on the list of foods I can eat since developing a bunch of food allergies/sensitivities. All that's in them is corn, salt and water. Some of the knock off corn chips add other ingredients.

These will be a welcome addition to my usual "candy" of dark and white chocolate covered toasted almonds. (Yeah, they are quick and easy as well. My kind of "cooking.")

Using tortilla chips is a fantastic idea, already a little salty and therefore I think a little better than the version here which uses predominantly cornflakes. Not that they get pushed off the plate so easily though and might call for a candy crunch test… Nicole

Lisa — Thanks for the tip about the Bearitos corn chips. I'll look for them. Love your blog! I grew up in Oklahoma but my mom's family is from Tyler, Amarillo, and Lubbock area. It reminds me of home. I've ordered your book for MY Christmas gift. Can't wait to get it

Julie — I'll try King Soopers. Haven't been there yet, just Safeway. I hear that King Soopers is what we call Kroger??

My mother-in-law made these last weekend & they were delicious. I knew I had to make them when I learned how simple they are to make. I only have milk chocolate on hand. How do you think that will work?

This is my 2nd or 3rd time to make these. We love them. I must have gone straight to the recipe before because I didn’t remember reading that it came from a Daniel Webster cookbook. I, too, went to Daniel Webster from 1958, 1st thru 7th grade. I don’t remember seeing a Webster cookbook in my mother’s things although I have several Kimball High School cookbooks with lots of yummy recipes! Thanks so much for you website. I love your recipes! Am trying the tamale cornbread this Thanksgiving.

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